Access to Little Bow Reservoir to be restricted for two years for flood upgrades

Flood mitigation work in southern Alberta will close a provincial recreation area for two years beginning in September, the province announced Friday.

Work will begin in the fall to upgrade the structures and canals in the Little Bow Reservoir, located about 165 kilometres southeast of Calgary. The expansion will increase the area of the reservoir from six to almost nine square kilometres, causing the existing recreation area to flood.

“These upgrades will allow for coordinated control of water levels in the Little Bow and Travers Reservoirs, helping us to be even better prepared to meet future challenges promptly and effectively,” said Alberta Minister of Transportation Wayne Drysdale.

When it reopens, the recreation area will be located further east.

The work is expected to cost $37 million.

Near Fort Macleod, construction is underway in the Oldman River to prevent future flooding damage to Highway 2.

The highway sustained significant damage during the 2013 floods, so crews are building an abutment to divert the water away from the bridge’s supports, said public affairs officer Jamie Friesen.

That project is expected to cost $1.4 million and should be complete by mid-October, weather permitting. It shouldn’t cause any major traffic disruptions, Friesen added.

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Access to Little Bow Reservoir to be restricted for two years for flood upgrades

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